May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson

Last updated
May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson
May the Circle Remain Unbroken.jpeg
Compilation album by
various artists
ReleasedJuly 17, 2021
Genre Psychedelic rock [1]
Length44:04
Label Light in the Attic
Producer Bill Bentley
Various artists chronology
Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye: A Tribute to Roky Erickson
(1999)
May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson
(2021)

May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson is an album [2] by various artists, released July 17, 2021, on indie record label Light in the Attic. It is the first posthumous tribute album for Erickson (who died in 2019) and is produced by Bill Bentley, who also assembled the 1990 Erickson tribute album Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye for Sire Records. [3]

Contents

It was an exclusive Record Store Day vinyl release, and was also released digitally and on CD. [4] [3]

Artists featured on the album include ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons; [5] Charlie Sexton and Alison Mosshart (as Mosshart Sexton); Jeff Tweedy of Wilco; Neko Case; Gary Clark Jr. [6] and Eve Monsees; and Lucinda Williams. The songs are drawn from Erickson's time with Texas psychedelic rock group the 13th Floor Elevators and his subsequent solo career.

Reception

May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
American Songwriter Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [7]
Cover MeStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [8]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]

Early critical reaction to the album was positive. In Mojo, Stevie Chick said some of the artists' interpretations suffered from their reverence for the source material, but added: "The more radical reimaginings fare better, like Alison Mosshart and Charlie Sexton redressing 'Starry Eyes' as a reverb-drenched '50s ballad, or The Black Angels recasting 'Don't Fall Down' as a lo-fi Velvets lullaby, or Chelsea Wolfe delivering 'If You Have Ghosts' as yearning, widescreen piano-ballad". [9]

Hal Horowitz suggested in American Songwriter that "perhaps this can be an ongoing project. Erickson's largely unheard catalog, both solo and with the Elevators, deserves the attention". [7]

In the Austin American-Statesman , Peter Blackstock compared the new tribute album with the old, describing its feel as "more underground than its comparatively flashier predecessor. That makes it perhaps a harder sell for a broad audience, but it may resonate more deeply with hardcore Erickson fans who appreciate the participants' willingness to immerse themselves in Roky's otherworldly realm". [10]

Writing in Cover Me, a publication covering cover songs, Seuras Og similarly made an A/B comparison, describing May the Circle Remain Unbroken as a mix of "simpatico recreations and righteous reenvisionings" that "hangs together better" than Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye. [8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Roky Erickson

May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson track listing
No.TitleCovering artist(s)Length
1."(I've Got) Levitation"Billy F Gibbons2:55
2."Starry Eyes"Mosshart Sexton5:10
3."For You (I'd Do Anything)"Jeff Tweedy2:26
4."Clear Night for Love"Lynn Castle & Mark Lanegan 2:44
5."Don't Fall Down" The Black Angels 4:22
6."Be and Bring Me Home"Neko Case4:23
7."Red Temple Prayer (Two-Headed Dog)" Margo Price 3:22
8."Roller Coaster"Gary Clark Jr. & Eve Monsees4:10
9."Night of the Vampire" Ty Segall 3:53
10."You're Gonna Miss Me"Lucinda Williams2:38
11."If You Have Ghosts" Chelsea Wolfe 4:45
12."May the Circle Remain Unbroken"Brogan Bentley3:10
Total length:44:04

Bonus RSD-Only Flexi Disc

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The 13th Floor Elevators</span> American rock band

The 13th Floor Elevators was an American rock band from Austin, Texas, United States, formed by guitarist and vocalist Roky Erickson, electric jug player Tommy Hall, and guitarist Stacy Sutherland. The band was together from 1965 to 1969, and during that period released four albums and seven singles for the International Artists record label.

Moving Sidewalks were an American rock band formed in 1966 from Houston, Texas. They released several singles and an album, before bassist Don Summers and keyboardist Tom Moore were drafted into the army, bringing the band to an end. Guitarist Billy Gibbons and drummer Dan Mitchell then formed band ZZ Top.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roky Erickson</span> American musician (1947–2019)

Roger Kynard "Roky" Erickson was an American musician and singer-songwriter. He was a founding member and the leader of the 13th Floor Elevators and a pioneer of the psychedelic rock genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music of Texas</span> Overview of music traditions in the U.S. state of Texas

The U.S. state of Texas has long been a center for musical innovation and is the birthplace of many notable musicians. Texans have pioneered developments in Tejano and Conjunto music, Rock 'n Roll, Western swing, jazz, punk rock, country, hip-hop, electronic music, gothic industrial music, religious music, mariachi, psychedelic rock, zydeco and the blues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Gibbons</span> American musician (born 1949)

William Frederick Gibbons is an American rock musician, best known as the guitarist and primary vocalist of ZZ Top. He began his career in Moving Sidewalks, who recorded Flash (1969) and opened four dates for the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Gibbons formed ZZ Top in late 1969 and released ZZ Top's First Album in early 1971. He has also maintained a solo career in recent years, starting with his first album Perfectamundo (2015).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stu Cook</span> American bass player

Stuart Alden Cook is an American bass guitarist, best known for his work in the rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR), for which he is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armadillo World Headquarters</span> Bygone Texas music hall in Austin

Armadillo World Headquarters was an influential Texas music hall and beer garden in Austin at 52512 Barton Springs Road – at South First Street – just south of the Colorado River and downtown Austin. The 'Dillo flourished from 1970 to 1980. The structure that housed it, an old National Guard Armory, was demolished in 1981 and replaced by a 13-story office building.

<i>Bull of the Woods</i> 1969 album by The 13th Floor Elevators

Bull of the Woods is the third studio album by The 13th Floor Elevators, and the last on which they worked as a group. The album is noted for its moody, dreamy, and fuzzed-out psychedelic sound, and was released by International Artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Sexton</span> American guitarist

Charles Wayne Sexton is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Sexton is best known for his years as a guitarist in Bob Dylan's band, though also has become well known as a music producer. Sexton co-founded Arc Angels and created the Charlie Sexton Sextet. He was still a teenager when he gained fame for his 1985 hit, "Beat's So Lonely", from his debut album, Pictures for Pleasure.

The Jeff Tweedy discography covers albums that he has recorded with Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, solo albums, and various side projects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Pacific (band)</span> American country rock band

Southern Pacific was an American country rock band that existed from 1983 to 1991. They are best known for hits such as "Any Way the Wind Blows" (1989), which was used in the soundtrack for the film Pink Cadillac starring Clint Eastwood and Bernadette Peters, and "New Shade of Blue". Southern Pacific was named New Country Group of the Year when they debuted and have been honored by having their name added to the Country Music Association's Walkway of Stars in Nashville, Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You're Gonna Miss Me (song)</span> 1966 song by the 13th Floor Elevators

"You're Gonna Miss Me" is a song by the American psychedelic rock band the 13th Floor Elevators, written by Roky Erickson, and released as the group's debut single on Contact Records in 1966. It was reissued nationally on International Artists, in May 1966. Musically inspired by traditional jug band and R&B music, combined with the group's own experimentation, "You're Gonna Miss Me" with its Stacy Sutherland and Tommy Hall-penned B-side "Tried to Hide" was influential in developing psychedelic rock and garage rock, and was one of the earlier rock compositions to use the electric jug. Accordingly, critics often cite "You're Gonna Miss Me" as a bona fide garage rock song and a classic of the counterculture era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Clark Jr.</span> American blues musician (born 1984)

Gary Lee Clark Jr. is an American blues guitarist and singer from Austin, Texas who fuses blues, rock and soul music with elements of hip hop. In 2011, Clark signed with Warner Bros Records and released The Bright Lights EP. It was followed by the albums Blak and Blu (2012) and The Story of Sonny Boy Slim (2015). Throughout his career, Clark has been a prolific live performer, documented by Gary Clark Jr. Live (2014) and Gary Clark Jr Live/North America (2017).

<i>More Oar: A Tribute to the Skip Spence Album</i> 1999 compilation album by Various Artists

More Oar: A Tribute to the Skip Spence Album is a 1999 tribute album completed shortly before and released shortly after the death of Moby Grape founding member Skip Spence. The album contains cover versions by various artists of Spence's music from his Oar album, released in 1969, presented in the same order as on the original album. The album also contains a hidden bonus track of Spence's last known recording, "Land of the Sun", which was originally commissioned for the X-Files soundtrack, Songs in the Key of X, but not used.

<i>Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye: A Tribute to Roky Erickson</i> 1990 tribute album to Roky Erickson

Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye is a 1990 tribute album to singer-songwriter Roky Erickson, founder of the 13th Floor Elevators and solo artist, whose career was subject to significant periods of challenge from schizophrenia. The album was released by Sire Records in the United States, and by WEA International in Europe. The album was produced by Bill Bentley, who also produced a 1999 tribute album to Moby Grape co-founder Skip Spence, who, like Erickson, was subject to the challenges of schizophrenia. The album's title is said to be Erickson's definition of psychedelic music.

Bill Bentley is an American music industry executive, particularly notable for having produced tribute albums of the music of significant cult artists Roky Erickson (1990), Skip Spence (1999), Doug Sahm (2009) and Lou Reed, in addition to other recording projects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shandon Sahm</span> American drummer (born 1969)

Shandon Sahm is an American drummer, who is a native of San Antonio, Texas and is best known for his two stints as the drummer of the Meat Puppets, from 1999–2002 and 2009–2018.

<i>Dont Slander Me</i> 1986 album by Roky Erickson

Don't Slander Me is a solo album by 13th Floor Elevators singer Roky Erickson recorded in 1982 and released in 1986. It features former Jefferson Airplane bassist Jack Casady as part of Erickson's backing band.

<i>All That May Do My Rhyme</i> 1995 studio album by Roky Erickson

All That May Do My Rhyme is an album by the American musician Roky Erickson, released in 1995. It was released at the same time as a book, Openers II: The Lyrics of Roky Erickson, that collected Erickson's poems and lyrics.

References

  1. Derdeyn, Stuart (July 14, 2021). "5 things to know about May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson posthumous tribute album". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  2. "May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson in stores 7/17". The Vinyl District. April 9, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Roky Erickson Tribute Album May the Circle Remain Unbroken Due In July". Blabbermouth.net. April 8, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  4. Listing at Record Store Day website. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  5. "ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons contributes song to upcoming Roky Erikson tribute album." ABC News Radio. April 8, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  6. "Tribute album for Austin rock legend Roky Erickson features Gary Clark Jr., Neko Case, more." Austin 360. April 8, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  7. 1 2 Horowitz, Hal (July 15, 2021). "Review: Roky Erickson's Songs Get Elevated On A Belated, Heartfelt Follow-Up To 1999's Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye". American Songwriter. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  8. 1 2 Og, Seuras (July 17, 2021). "Review: May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson". Cover Me. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  9. 1 2 Chick, Stevie (August 2021). "Various - May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson". Mojo. p. 89. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  10. Blackstock, Peter (July 16, 2021). "New Roky Erickson tribute record features Jeff Tweedy, Neko Case, Gary Clark Jr., more". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved July 26, 2021.